IPL 2026: Rajasthan Royals begin preparations with training camp
What's the story
Rajasthan Royals (RR), the inaugural Indian Premier League (IPL) season champions, have kicked off their preparations for the 2026 edition. The team is currently holding a training camp in Jaipur to finalize its combination ahead of the tournament. Several marquee players, including the experienced Ravindra Jadeja, were seen practicing with the team. Meanwhile, the coaching staff closely monitored their performance. Riyan Parag will lead the Royals in IPL 2026.
Major trades
RR's major trades ahead of IPL 2026
Ahead of the IPL 2026 mini-auction, RR were involved in a high-profile trade deal. Wicketkeeper-batter Sanju Samson, who had been with RR for over a decade, was traded to Chennai Super Kings (CSK). He was also their most successful captain. In return, India's Jajdeja and England all-rounder Sam Curran were traded from CSK to RR. Notably, Jadeja was with the Royals squad, which lifted the inaugural IPL trophy in 2008 under Shane Warne's captaincy.
Twitter Post
Head coach Sangakkara welcomes RR squad
Shubh aaRRambh feat Sanga! 🗣️💗 pic.twitter.com/mGOPVvM5a2
— Rajasthan Royals (@rajasthanroyals) March 19, 2026
Squad
A look at RR's squad
Players retained: Shubham Dubey, Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, Kunal Rathore, Lhuan-Dre Pretorius, Shimron Hetmyer, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Dhruv Jurel, Riyan Parag, Yudhvir Singh Charak, Jofra Archer, Akash Madhwal, Kumar Kartikeya Singh, Tushar Deshpande, Fazalhaq Farooqi, Kwena Maphaka, Ashok Sharma, and Nandre Burger. Players bought: Ravi Bishnoi, Sushant Mishra, Yash Raj, Vignesh Puthur, Adam Milne, Kuldeep Sen, Aman Rao, Ravi Singh, Brijesh Sharma, Curran (traded), and Jadeja (traded).
Season
How RR fared in IPL 2025
RR, who reached the playoffs in 2024, finished ninth last season. This was partly because their regular skipper, Samson, couldn't play all matches. He missed five matches, where Riyan stepped in. An unsettled combination, coupled with inconsistency, marred their IPL 2025 campaign. Overall, RR lost 10 of their 14 matches. This time, RR will kick off their campaign against CSK in Guwahati on March 30.